Fowl-plucking apparatus



Spt. 19, 1944. c. M. DU PUY 2 35 9 FOWL-PLUCKING APPARATUS Filed Feb.22, 1943 :Patented Sept. 19, 1944 FOWL-PLUCKINGAPPARATUSQ Charles M. DuPuy, Ligonier Township, "West-P" moreland County, Pa.,asslgnor toPennsylvania I I Rubber Company, Jeannette, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application February 22, 1943, Serial No. 476,685

4 Claims.

This invention relates to plucking apparatus for fowls, and consists inimprovement in the structure of a component part of such apparatus. Theobjects in view are economy. in operation and increase in efilciency.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. I'is a dia-' grammatic view in sideelevation of a finger;- equipped drum which constitutes an essentialpart of fowl-plucking apparatus of a type now in use and of the type towhich this invention is applicable. Figs. II and III are views to largerscale. III in transverse section, one of the fingers with which the drumis equipped. The plane of section of Fig. III is indicated by the brokenline III-III, Fig. II. It is in the structure of the finger that thepresent invention is found. Fig. IV is a fragmentary view in elevationof the finger of the. invention in modified form; and Fig. V is a viewin transverse section of the modified finger.

In Fig. I a drum 1 is shown, equipped with fingers 2 that extend fromthe face of the drum radially outward. In the apparatus now in commonuse the drum is rigid, formed ordinarily of steel, and the fingers areflexible, formed ordinarilyof rubber. The drum is mountedfor rotation,and in operation it rotates at high speed (approximately 750 R. P. M.),and the fowl upon which it operates is held in position to sustain theimpingement of the advancing fingers. The effect is the plucking of thefowl.

The fingers 2, commonly formed, are essentially cylindrical; one head isenlarged to a basal flange 20, by which the finger is secured to thedrum; toward its basal end the essentially cylindrical finger isordinarily solid; toward its free and distal end it is ordinarily hollowand of tubular form. Externally the essentially cy1indrical finger istoward its base ordinarily smoothsurfaced; toward the free and distalend it is knurled or otherwise roughened.

In operation these exteriorly roughened, flexspeed, and the lineartravel of the finger-tip relatively to the oppositely advancing fowl isvery fast. The first feature of my invention consists in a modificationof the cross-sectional shape of the finger. I retain the hollow, tube-Fig. II shows in side elevation, and Fig.

section, I give to it the pear-shaped cross-section shown in Fig. III,the term pear-shaped" being employed to describe the fingers streamlinedcross-sectional shape that comprises the essence of this feature of myinvention. The anterior face 22 (with reference to the direction oftravel) is rounded, and may be, and ordinarily will be, substantiallysemi-cylindrical. This anterior face is, to accomplish the end inview,roughened. The posterior face is drawn out rearwardly in two convergingsmooth surfaces 23, which, merging forwardly with the anterior face 22,meet rearwardly in a more or less sharply angled ridge 24. Inconsequence, the resistance of the air to drum rotation is greatlydiminished, and the instrument may be driven with undiminished effectunder greatly reduced power.

The second feature of invention is found in the form and arrangement ofI the roughness upon the finger-tip. This roughness is, as has alreadybeen intimated, confined to the anterior face of the finger, where aloneit is effective. Specifically, it takes the form of re-entrant pockets25 of cup shape, which, by virtue of their shape, are effective in morefirmly engaging the feathers. Under the high speed of drum rotation, thefingers, impinging upon the feathered surface of the body of the fowl,are flattened, and the soft rubberpf which they are formed iscompressed. The cups are by such compression reduced in depth and thehollows or pockets reduced in volume. The plumage of the fowl, whenunder the operation of the apparatus, is wet, and the wet feathersclose' and for a moment seal the mouths of the cups as they advance.With the progress of the cup beyond the point of impingement andcompression, -its resilient walls expand again, the cup returns to itsnormalproportions, and in so doing exerts suction upon the feather thatcloses and seals its mouth. The feather clings to the cup-rim with theadded adhesion of suction. In consequence, the selike character at thedistal end, as indicated at 2|; but, instead'of forming it of circularcrosscurity of the grip of the finger upon the feather is increased, andthe apparatus is rendered more effective in the performance of its work.

As shown in Figs. II and III the rims of the cups are fiush with thegeneral surface in which they are sunk. The modification shown in Figs.IV and V consists in the formation of the cups with rims elevated abovethe general surface. In such modification, manifestly, the cups are morereadily compressible.

I claim as my invention:

1. In fowl-plucking apparatus that includes a rotating carrier and afinger of fiexible and res'ilient material extending radially trom thecarrier, the inventionlherein described, which comprises a finger oipear-shaped cross-section, with the pointed portion smooth-suriaced andarranged posteriorly with respect to the direction or travel of thefinger, when the carrier is rotated, and roughened anteriorly toward itsdistal fowlcontacting end.

2. The structure 01' claim 1, the roughness of the anterior face of thefinger being in the form of re-entrant cup-like recesses located at thefowl-contacting end oi the finger, whereby the finger engages withsuction effect the plumage of the fowl.

3. In fowl-plucking apparatus that includes a described, said fingerbeing formed of flexible and resilient material and 01' pear-shape incrosssection, and at its distal end being roughened on thefowl-contacting iace that corresponds to the CHARLES M. DU PUY.

16 bottom of the pear.

